What is a Clishmaclaver you say? The Clishmaclaver is a newsletter created by
the clan to keep the members up to date with the latest news and "gossip"
(clishmaclaver is the Scot word for idle talk; gossip)

Clan Donnachaidh Society Upper Midwest (CDSUM) was established in 1986 by
Gordon and Patricia Wilber along with Joanne Reid and Phillis Anderson.
They initially gathered about 12 people the Wilber's town house in Hoffman
Estates to begin the task creating Clan Donnachaidh Upper Midwest.

The first thing they did was man a table at the Scottish Fair in the Irish
American Center in Chicago. There more people signed up. By the end of 1986
the by-laws were written and Clan Donnachaidh Society Upper Midwest was
officially established!

Clan Donnachaidh Society, Pacific Northwest donated 3 dirks, which were
raffled to raise funds for the newly established society. Since that time,
the clan created the Clishmaclaver for all Clan members to keep up to date
with Clan activities. Gordon and Patricia also began the "Taste of Scotland"
at their home. This gave everyone a reason to get together, sample authentic
Scottish foods, and of course, a dram or two of single malt scotch.

In February 1990, Gordon and Patricia along with Marge Hale and the rest of
the CDSUM members hosted the North American Conference of Clan Donnachaidh
Presidents in Chicago. Alexander Gilbert Haldane Robertson of Struan
(Chief of Clan Donnachaidh) found out about the event and wished to participate,
which he did. Struan also returned in February 1993 for a 5 branch tour to kick
off the centenary year. Our members represented CDSUM well during the
Celebration in Pitlochry Scotland.

CDSUM turned twenty five in 2011 with a celebration dinner on the Milwaukee
River. The event was arranged by Russ and Jessie Read. This year we celebrated
our Thirtieth anniversary with a luncheon cruise on the Illinois River at Peoria.

Since its founding, CDSUM has continued to grow. We have active members in the
states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. We
currently man CDSUM tents at nine games across our territory.

Tartan Information

The Chief of the Robertsons' is said to have traveled around Atholl asking the
old men of his clan what the true clan pattern was, but no-one could agree.
Eventually he sealed as the true Robertson Tartan a piece of what is now called
Hunting Robertson or Robertson of Kindeace, which is thought to be the tartan
used for kilts by the Loyal Clan Donnachie (Robertson) Volunteers, a sort of
home guard, raised in 1803. Like all such variations of the Government tartan,
this pattern cannot be dated earlier than the late 18th Century and so it cannot
have been the old Robertson clan tartan. Indeed, there are other old patterns
associated with the clan which would have a better claim to being the "clan
tartan" had one existed in c.1815.

Alexander Robertson of Struan was a legend in his own lifetime. As the thirteenth and last chief of his clan, he was the only Scot to have fought in all three Jacobite rebellions of the 17th and 18th centuries - and the only one to have published pornographic and political Gaelic verse.
To see the full YouTube video and other video's like it click here.

Robertson Clan Land

Blair Castle

Clan Robertson Castle

Regional Map

Septs of Clan Donnachaidh

The main surname used by Clan Donnachaidh is Robertson, which is also used by the present chief's family, though other names are associated with the clan, the most common being Duncan and Reid. Other names associated with the clan may include:

Collier

Donica

MacConnichie

MacRobbie

Robson

Colyear

Donnachie

MacDonachie

MacRobert

Roy

Conlow

Duncan

MacInroy

MacRobie

Stark

Connachie

Duncanson

MacIver

MacWilliam

Tannoch

Dobbie

Dunkeson

MacIvor

Reed

Tannochy

Dobieson

Dunnachie

MacLagan

Reid

Dobinson

Inches

MacLaggan

Robb

Dobson

MacConachie

MacRob

Roberts

Donachie

MacConlogue

MacRobb

Robison

Robert Burns

In the month of January, Scots minded folk and many others are likely to share some of the works of Robert Burns as the words of Auld Lang Sine ring out world wide when the bells toll and the firework displays fill the sky, though a little later in the month is another notable occasion for many.... "Burns Night".. To celebrate Scotland's National Bard.

Burns Nights are celebrated in many corners of the globe, as Rabbie`s gift with words seems to have the ability to strike a cord no matter what nationality the reader...... Perhaps if you like to read poetry or the words of songs written from the heart and his little "addresses", you might enjoy a visit to this site: http://www.robertburns.org.

Rabbie wrote a word or two to suit every occasion as befitted the times in which he lived..... Many of which are as relevant today as when his ink was still wet.